To vote is to take part in a Democratic system, and to help decide which candidate will be the most beneficial for your nation. But what if neither candidate represents your point of view? Is it still patriotic to vote, even if it means voting for someone you don’t believe in? On November 8th, 2016, millions of Americans were asking themselves that very question. Forced to choose between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton, only about 60% of eligible voters actually cast their ballots. Most people would agree that it is our patriotic duty to vote. Voting honors the brave Americans who fought to give us freedom and a voice in our government. Despite an election’s outcome, voting strengthens Democracy. Therefore, by going to the polls, you are supporting your country. “Voting is the right upon which all other rights depend.” Many voters who cast ballots in this past election felt they weren’t voting for a candidate, but against one. A lot of people didn’t even bother to vote. In fact, according to the United States Election Project, nearly half of eligible voters stayed home on Election Day. They refused to take part in an election in which there were really only two possible outcomes, and neither of the candidates from the two main parties represented their interests. So is this still a true democracy if so many citizens feel they don’t have a voice? Democracy is a government for the people, by the people, and of the people. But we use the Electoral College system, in which electors decide the final result. In 2016, though Clinton won the popular vote by almost 3 million ballots, Trump got more electoral votes. He will be the fifth president in U.S. history to be elected despite not winning the popular vote. Also, the current system makes it almost impossible for a 3rd party candidate to be elected. These facts are why it is difficult to convince American citizens that their vote actually counts. The Electoral College goes against the Democratic principal of ‘one person, one vote.’ Also, the domination by just two parties makes it unlikely that we will ever have a president other than a Republican or a Democrat. But even if you believe this is a broken system, I think there are better ways to protest than by simply not voting. If I had voted in the 2016 presidential election, it would have been for a 3rd party or a write-in candidate that most closely reflected my beliefs. By doing this, at least I would be demonstrating that I want to participate in a strong democracy. When I am of age, I plan to cast my vote, because I feel that is the patriotic thing to do. I hope that, by then, we have more options, and are no longer bound to the Electoral College. Like millions of other patriotic Americans, I have a voice, and I want it to be heard.

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Comments

ShanRippWriting

Feb 12, 2018

I absolutely love this. I think you bring up really great points. There were many arguments with my friends about voting: many weren't even registered and didn't think that voting was important at all. I especially love when you say, "Many voters who cast ballots in this past election felt they weren’t voting for a candidate, but against one," which is so true. A lot of people I think have lost sight in what being able to vote means and that it may seem like one person's vote doesn't really do much because of the electoral college, it still demonstrates that we care about what's happening in our government and shows what we want out of the elected officials. I really wish we didn't have the electoral college, because it was designed during a time when a lot of our country wasn't educated on many of the aspects that go into running a country. However, a lot has changed in a few hundred years, so the system needs to change. How can we become a progressive country if we're still using an out of date system?